Russia Diary x Yekaterinburg : Chasing border

Sunday, 6 September 2015

Of course chasing border is just the tip of the iceberg, but that's always fun to talk about.

But before that, let’s rewind a little bit to the day before I reached Yekaterinburg. Remember I was on the 55 hours train journey? Well, 55 hours is A LOT to do some thinking about life. Of course, I don’t choose where my mind wanders, and that itself is a curse-gift miraculous relationship I have.

It’s odd that when I was on the train, I actually lost track of the date. But whenever there was daylight, I always made it to the food carriage. So, I sat across this Russian hunk in his middle age, who looked like a colonel off duty. He looked withered but whenever he took a sip of his beer, it refreshed his emerald gaze.

Closing to the 44th hour on the train, I started to feel agitated because I lost track of time. Meals began to show up unexpectedly and in fact too frequently. I began to sleep at the oddest hours and woke up to quiet carriages where people are sound asleep. There was something about the stillness of air that night. And I began to question myself ‘Where am I going with this?’ (this as in life). There was so much to ponder about, names kept running through my mind, snippets of life which I mistaken as déjà vu played right in front of my eyes and to shake it all away, I closed my eyes, tucked myself like an all-star pig in blanket and whispered to myself ‘May the odds be ever in my favour’ before drifting off.

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Coming back to the day where I reached Yekaterinburg, I felt like I was in one of Coppola’s movies. Our tour guide, Olga has arranged 3 cars to transport us from the station to Novotel Hotel. My driver dressed like a mafia veteran, which made me sat still like a log next to him all the way. Okay, I was pretty nervous.

But oh the bikers and city girls, you are such heartbreakers. I was amazed whichever way I turned and I believe subconsciously hummed Kiss by Prince.

After a hearty breakfast, Olga took us to the Europe-Asia Border (there we go), Romanov Monastery and Church of All Saints. I told myself it must be our lucky day because whichever way we went, wedding ceremonies filled the place. Although it wasn’t easy to take pictures, but it was always pleasant to be in the same place with someone celebrating their love for each other.

We made it to Yekaterinburg Historical Square, hoping to get good borsch for late lunch. And once again, it was our luck that we were just in time for the Russia National Day Parade.

After a relaxing stroll back to our hotel, freshen up, packed and watched a little TV, we went our own way for dinner. My aunt and I both walked a few blocks down and find ourselves in this nice little Italian restaurant. I got my latte and pizza, and my aunt got her Caprese Salad. And we just let our evening went by with some funny family stories and we might have shared a few secrets too.

Before I knew it, we were back on the train again. And this time, to Moscow!